The internet is one of the largest sources of entertainment available, and much of it must be paid for. The good news is that many ways exist to find movies, music, and games without paying anything.
Here’s a look at the best forms of free entertainment found online.
Streaming Video
Not every streaming site needs to be paid for. If you want to watch Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime, you must buy a membership and pay a monthly fee. However, there are several ways to watch videos for free.
At Save the Video, for example, you can download videos from various social media applications and sites like Dailymotion without paying a cent.
YouTube has tons of videos for non-premium (paid) members. Alternatively, if you’re prepared to sit through pre- and post-movie ads, some sites will stream an entire film once you’ve watched their advertisements. But be careful; some of these sites require you to click on a link that might contain malware.
Reading Books
Reading books online is a relaxing pastime experienced by countless people worldwide. To read books by well-known modern-day authors, you need a Kindle or Kobo membership and may still be required to purchase every book.
However, there are numerous ways to read books online for free.
Copyright Expiration
Some copyright laws determine when a book can be made available for free and is referred to as public domain. It can get complicated, as some countries have different conditions, especially in the US, where various acts have been passed that have led to significant changes.
Here’s a guide:
- Prior to 1923: Every book that was published before 1923 is in the public domain.
- Books published 1923-1977: The 1st of January every year is known as ‘public domain day,’ and any book published in these years becomes public domain 95 years after publication.
In 2024, any books published in 1929 are now public domain. Some famous works like Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms and William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury are now free books.
- Created after 1978: On the 1st of January, 70 years after an author dies, every one of his or her books becomes public domain. If the author is unknown or under a pseudonym, the book’s life is the shortest of either 120 years from creation or 95 years from publication.
Self-Published and New Authors
Gone are the days when authors had to go through the ordeal of submitting manuscript after manuscript to publishing companies only to be rejected repeatedly. Today, any author can self-publish their own book via websites like Smashwords or Kindle and determine the price of their work. Some new authors prefer to offer their first book for free to build a readership.
Music
Like with videos, YouTube also has music videos that can be watched without subscribing. Here’s the thing about listening to music online: if the clip or audio file has been ripped and provided for free, the artist is missing out on receiving royalties for their work, and that’s considered piracy.
Some artists have agreements with sites like YouTube and Spotify to allow some of their music to be available for free; the rest require a paid subscription.
The alternative is to look for one of the many community-created music sites, like SoundCloud or Artlist. On these sites, well-known and upcoming artists choose to share their work for free. Do a Google search for ‘royalty-free music’ to find the right community for you.
Online Games
Online gaming is one of the most accessible forms of free entertainment; this includes single and multiplayer games. Yes, many of the most-played ones require the users to purchase at least the original software to start the game. However, there are loads of free ones too.
For example, Minecraft has the highest player count worldwide and is still completely free to play. The beauty of online games is that they can be played on consoles, smartphones, or computers, and stacks of apps can be downloaded for free.
But be careful of in-app purchases. In almost all cases, you need to click ‘Are you sure?’ before making the final purchase, so you’ll unlikely be caught unaware. The challenge lies in giving access to children who might happily purchase extras and run up a massive credit card bill.
Casino Games
Online casinos are the ideal option for people who prefer to gamble without leaving their homes or offices. Most sites require real money deposits to play, but some are free.
Even paid sites like to offer samples of their games — based on the ‘try before you buy’ concept — for the prospective customer before joining. For example, you can play Mega Moolah online for free in demo mode, and once you see how much fun it is, you can deposit money if you like.
Free Online Entertainment for Everyone
Tons of entertainment is available online for free if you know where to look.
You don’t have to pay to stream movies and TV shows. Using our site, you can download anything you can find on social media or sites like Dailymotion without paying anything.
To get books for free, look for ones older than 95 years old or check out sites where new authors offer them for no cost.
Music, like movies, can be found for free by joining community sites where artists have permitted their work to be made available.
Gamers can also play for free by choosing wisely. Avoid when a software program needs to be purchased in advance or with heavy in-app purchases.
There’s a world of free online entertainment out there waiting for you to discover it.